This invention is directed to a personal hygiene means and more particularly to an apparatus which encourages or instructs the use of the personal hygiene means.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,926,489 and 3,021,666, Stone, each disclose activating an animated character in association with a manual toothbrush. Upon removal of the toothbrush a mechanism is activated to cause the character to become animated. Upon return of the toothbrush the animation mechanism is deactivated. The mechanism may have a timer to control the period of animation or the mechanism may be cycled to a starting point upon the return of the toothbrush. The animation is not accompanied by an audio production. The character is a display or animation showing only the facial features and a portion of an appendage, the hand or paw. U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,234, Stubbman, discloses an animated display in a manner similar to the Stone patents. The toothbrush position or its removal is independent of the operation of the animated display. A control means extending from the device is operated by the user to activate the display and a sound producing device.
Each of the above patents are directed to an apparatus for encouraging or instructing the use of a personal hygiene means, a manual toothbrush. The known apparatus, however, are of a complex construction and therefore costly to manufacture and susceptible to mechanical failure.